France flies out 2 Mirage fighter jets from Chad to signal beginning of military withdrawal

PARIS (AP) — The French military says it has flown out the two Mirage fighter jets it had stationed in Chad. The move Tuesday signaled the beginning of the withdrawal of its military forces from the African country. The pair of Mirage 2000-D fighters took off after midday from a French base in N’Djamena after Chadian military forces came to wish them farewell. A French military spokesman said they were returning to an air force base in Nancy in eastern France. He added that negotiations with Chadian authorities are continuing on how and when France might withdraw other members of its 1,000-strong force in Chad and whether all or just some of them will leave.